The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) recently published their Bicycle Rail Trip Analysis and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Study that looks at bicycle trips to and from Metro Rail. The study aims to establish the benefits of providing a system that accommodates bicyclists on trains and at train stations.

Bicycle trip data was gathered at 19 Metro Rail stations during morning and evening commutes as well as during the lunch hour. 605 surveys were collected and 2,305 bicyclists were counted at the 19 sampled stations. The document is loaded with interesting findings, a few of which I pulled from the Exec Summary:

Bicycle-rail trips would replace approximately 322,000 motor vehicle trips and reduce 3.96 million vehicle miles traveled each year, offsetting approximately 2,152 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) annually. This would be equivalent to taking 422 motor vehicles off the road.

Survey respondents overwhelmingly said that being allowed to take their bike on the train influenced their decision to travel by bike and rail. Of the 477 people who responded to the question, 65 percent chose “allowed to take bike on train” as a factor that influenced their decision. 13 percent of bicyclists would not make their trip if they couldn’t bicycle and take the train.

We had a highly unusual winter-like storm come through the other day. It felt like winter on Tuesday, fall yesterday, spring today, and we’re expecting highs in the triple digits this weekend. I just can’t get over the strange weather we’re having this year.

What bit of advice would you like to share with new bike commuters?: RIDE! There were many years I could have commuted but chose to drive. With today’s bikes and accessories, a person can outfit themselves to ride in any weather, on nearly any surface, at nearly any place on this planet. Of course, a person can ride wearing almost anything appropriate for the weather. I rode for years without eVent or Gore Tex or spandex. Some wool and some linen works pretty good.

Portland’s Renovo, makers of exquisite hardwood bicycles, is opening a showroom in the San Francisco Bay Area. From Renovo:

Renovo Design of Portland is opening a showroom for their innovative hardwood and laminated bamboo bicycles in Sausalito, California July 2nd. These custom, lightweight, handmade, hollow-frame bicycles have received worldwide acclaim, raced at the Ironman World Championships, and recently earned the 4 ring logo from the carmaker Audi, for whom Renovo now produces a series of bicycles.

The sustainability, natural woods, finish and intricate joinery of Renovo frames are attractive, but any owner will tell you it’s the performance and ride qualities for which they’re coveted. Each frame is handmade in Renovo’s shop in Portland, where combinations of woods are used to individually tailor both the ride qualities and the appearance to suit the customer. Renovo’s lineup includes road, city, commuter, triathlon and mountain styles, with demo bikes of each in and our showrooms so riders can sample the Renovo experience on local riding paths and trails. Portland visitors are welcome to tour the production facility.

In a unique, but obvious collaboration, Renovo’s Sausalito bicycle showroom will also show select pieces of the sublime handcrafted furniture made by the Joinery. The Joinery has been the Northwest’s premier handmade custom furniture maker for thirty years, and they too have earned an international reputation for their designs and quality. They use many species including Oregon timber they harvest and mill, and many of their woods are FSC certified. The Joinery produces exquisite designs of their own as well as Asian, Arts and Crafts, Shaker, Mission, Modern and Contemporary. They welcome fully custom work.

Renovo Design was founded in 2007 in Portland Oregon. They are the first and only producer of hollow frame wooden bicycles in the world and have patents pending on their designs. Their high performance, computer designed bicycles are loved worldwide and have been featured in magazines and newspapers from the Oregonian to the Economist and Forbes, as well as a wide range of cycling publications.

I had plans to upgrade the drivetrain on my Civia Bryant from an Afine 8 with Gates Carbon Drive to an Alfine 11 with Gates CenterTrack later this year, but with help from my friends at Civia, the project is moving forward sooner than expected. In fact, the 11-speed rear wheel and Versa levers arrived yesterday. I’m waiting on a small parts kit/cassette joint (they’re included with Nexus hubs, but not Alfine hubs), and I’m still working on obtaining the belt drive components, but I’m super-excited to get started on the project. Stay tuned for updates as I go through the process.

Describe your commute: I mostly use my bike to go to work and to every business compromises I must take care of. I also do groceries and attend social meetings by bike.

Describe your bike and accessories: The bike shown in picture is a cargo model, with a plastic box, elastic and velcro bands. When riding at night, I also use front and rear lights. I actually have two more bikes, a Monark 10 Positron and a Custom Chopper.

What bit of advice would you like to share with new bike commuters?: Lots of things can be done by bycicle. Don’t let your (and other people’s) fears keeping you from have a much more enjoyable life. Ride safely (helmet, glove and lights are a good start), knowing your local traffic laws, specially the ones concerning to bicycles.

If you don’t forget to make periodical check ups on your bike you’ll soon find out that she can be your best friend.

There’s been a lot of conjecture and misinformation regarding the Dahon split floating around since the Tern launch a couple of weeks ago. Sam over at 16incheswestofpeoria has just published an interview with Josh Hon that should clear up any lingering questions for you folding bike fanatics in the crowd.